No Ray of sunshine

The Mono County District Attorney’s Office reported recently that, after a lengthy investigation, Debra Ray, 53, of Crowley Lake, was arrested on April 19, pursuant to a warrant.

In late 2011, the current Board Members for the Crowley Lake Mutual Water Company reported a suspected embezzlement of public funds by Ray, who served as a “Water Company” Board Member from approximately 1998 to the middle of 2011. She was serving as President and Treasurer during the 2010-2011 year before being voted off the Board in the 2011 general membership election. During her tenure with the Water Board, she also served for several years as its Treasurer before taking over as both President and Treasurer.

According to a statement from DA Kendall, Ray has been charged in a 22 count complaint alleging that she embezzled approximately $29,000 in public funds from the “Water Company” starting in 2008 and ending in 2011 when she left the “Water Company” Board. Kendall said that during this period, Ray was drafting checks payable to herself and her husband for work not performed, and reimbursement for expenses that the “Water Company” had already paid to her.

She was being held at the Mono County Jail on $50,000 bail. During arraignment on April 22 in Mono County Superior Court, Ray was arraigned on the 22-count complaint alleging the theft of public funds. Ray pled “not guilty” and will be appointed a Public Defender. Judge Mark Magit reduced her bail from $50,000 to $10,000. Ray made bail and was released from custody pending her preliminary hearing, which is set for May 6.